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Interpreting statistical results and p-values in English medical articles

Fiche de révision · Anglais médical · P2

L'essentiel du cours

  1. Chapitre 1 : Introduction to p-values

    p < 0.05 = statistically significant in most medical journals.

  2. Chapitre 2 : Reading p-values in context

    Always read p-value with its confidence interval.

  3. Chapitre 3 : Common phrases in medical articles

    Common verbs: find, report, show, observe.

  4. Chapitre 4 : Avoiding misinterpretations

    p-value ≠ probability that H0 is true.

Teste-toi · 8 questions

  1. 1.What does a p-value of 0.03 mean?

    Voir la réponse

    Réponse : There is a 3% chance of observing the data if the null hypothesis is true.

    A p-value is the probability of observing the data (or more extreme) assuming the null hypothesis is true, not the probability that the null hypothesis is true.

  2. 2.Which p-value is considered statistically significant at the 0.05 threshold?

    Voir la réponse

    Réponse : 0.049

    0.049 is below the usual threshold of 0.05, so it is considered statistically significant.

  3. 3.A 95% confidence interval for an odds ratio is 0.8 to 1.5. What does this suggest?

    Voir la réponse

    Réponse : The result is not statistically significant because the interval includes 1.

    An odds ratio of 1 indicates no effect. Since the 95% CI includes 1 (0.8 to 1.5), the result is not statistically significant at the 5% level.

  4. 4.'No significant difference was found (p=0.42)' means:

    1. A.The difference is clinically irrelevant.
    2. B.There is definitely no difference.
    3. C.The observed difference could be due to chance.
    4. D.The study had enough power to detect a difference.
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse C : The observed difference could be due to chance.

    p=0.42 means there is a 42% chance of observing such a difference if H0 is true, so the difference could easily be due to chance.

  5. 5.Which phrase would you expect in a paper reporting a significant result?

    Voir la réponse

    Réponse : 'A significant reduction was observed (p=0.02)'

    This phrase reports a significant reduction with p=0.02, below 0.05.

  6. 6.What is p-hacking?

    Voir la réponse

    Réponse : Running multiple analyses and reporting only significant ones.

    P-hacking is the practice of trying multiple analyses and only reporting those that yield p<0.05.

  7. 7.The p-value is:

    1. A.The probability of the observed result (or more extreme) assuming H0 is true.
    2. B.The probability that the alternative hypothesis is true.
    3. C.The probability of making a type I error.
    4. D.The magnitude of the effect.
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse A : The probability of the observed result (or more extreme) assuming H0 is true.

    The p-value is defined as the probability of the observed result or more extreme under the null hypothesis.

  8. 8.If a study reports p=0.001, you can conclude:

    1. A.The result is unlikely under the null hypothesis.
    2. B.There is no chance of error.
    3. C.The effect is very large.
    4. D.The result is clinically important.
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse A : The result is unlikely under the null hypothesis.

    p=0.001 indicates the data are very unlikely under H0, but it says nothing about the size or clinical importance of the effect.